More specifically, the present invention relates to a drum, for filter-tipped cigarette manufacturing machines, of the type fitted to and projecting from a frame of the manufacturing machine, and comprising a drive shaft, and an outer shell supported by the drive shaft, fitted to the drive shaft to rotate with the drive shaft about an axis, and having a number of external axial seats, each for retaining a respective elongated tobacco article.
Filter-tipped cigarette manufacturing machines are known to employ a succession of rotary drums projecting from a normally vertical front surface of the manufacturing machine frame, and which provide for receiving a succession of double cigarette portions; feeding the double cigarette portions through a cutting station to obtain a succession of pairs of single cigarette portions; axially parting the single cigarette portions in each pair; inserting a double filter between the single cigarette portions in each pair to form a group; connecting, by rolling, the elements in the group by means of a gummed strip to obtain a double cigarette; and feeding the double cigarettes through a cutting station to obtain a succession of pairs of finished filter-tipped cigarettes.
All the above operations are normally accompanied by fallout of a fairly large amount of powdered tobacco, which settles at least partly on the rotary drums, thus calling for frequent maintenance and cleaning of the drums. This applies in particular to rotary drums for rolling on and treating the gummed strips, on which gum is also added to the powdered tobacco.
Since each rotary drum is tangent to at least one other rotary drum, the space about each drum is normally so confined that any maintenance or cleaning can only be done by partly dismantling the drum or the adjacent drums, which involves a good deal of downtime.